Alan Wake II releases on October 27, 2023 on PS5, Xbox Sequence X/S, and PC through the Epic Video games Retailer. Understandably, online game graphics tech has advanced a bit for the reason that first Alan Wake’s 2010 launch on the standard Xbox 360. However for those who’re trying to play Treatment Leisure’s extremely anticipated return to Mr. Wake’s unlucky actuality on PC, there’s an equally unlucky actuality awaiting you: You higher have a beefy setup.
Test Out Alan Wake II: Xbox
However right here’s some excellent news: for those who haven’t upgraded your machine in a short while, Alan Wake II presents a great alternative so that you can reexamine what’s in your pc and what is perhaps value investing in.
Alan Wake II might sit on the larger finish of graphics calls for proper now in 2023, however specs like these are going to develop into the brand new regular (in the event that they aren’t already) for AAA gaming within the 2020s.
‘1080p is okay, I don’t care about ray tracing, and I don’t want 60 FPS for a story sport’
If that is you, I applaud your modest gaming wants. However I’ve some dangerous information for ya, the specs even for the minimal settings are nonetheless fairly demanding:
Alan Wake II PC minimal necessities
- Graphics: Low
- Decision: 1080p
- FPS: 30
- GPU: Nvidia RTX 2060/Radeon RX 6600 (6GB VRAM)
- DLSS/FSR2: High quality
- CPU: Intel i5-7600K or AMD equal
- RAM: 16GB
- Storage: 90 GB SSD
Yeah, in order that machine you inbuilt 2017 and haven’t actually upgraded most likely isn’t going to chop it. On the backside settings.
Granted, the CPU requirement of an i5 7600K isn’t too dangerous (it’s what I used to have in my final machine), however you’ll must no less than have an RTX 2060-equivalent card, and that’s for low graphics settings, people. And also you’re nonetheless anticipated to have supersampling by the use of DLSS on right here—or FSR2…which, whereas higher than FSR1, nonetheless appears too melty to my eyes.
Additionally, the RAM and storage necessities of 90GB on an SSD (you shouldn’t, beneath any circumstances, be enjoying fashionable video video games in your pc with an old-fashioned spinny HDD) would possibly imply that rig that’s gotten you thru the previous few years of gaming with out many upgrades may not be as much as snuff for Treatment’s return to Alan Wake.
The excellent news is that 16 GB of RAM and storage necessities stay the identical throughout the board.
‘I nonetheless actually don’t care about ray tracing, however I would like higher graphics and better resolutions’
In the event you’d prefer to make use of prettier graphics with out flooring it, Treatment’s “Really useful” settings push us into the 3000-series of Nvidia GPUs, however a quad-core CPU most likely isn’t reducing it anymore. Treatment splits up its Really useful settings into 1080p (for 60 FPS) and 1440p (for 30 fps). 4K is out the window at this tier.
Alan Wake II really useful 1080p settings
- Graphics: Medium
- Decision: 1080p
- FPS: 60
- GPU: RTX 3070/Radeon 6700 XT (8GB VRAM)
- DLSS/FSR2: Efficiency
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel equal
Alan Wake II really useful 1440p settings
- Graphics: Medium
- Decision: 1440p
- FPS: 30
- GPU: RTX 3060/Radeon 6600 XT (8GB VRAM)
- DLSS/FSR2: Balanced
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel equal
So if you wish to be above low graphics settings, you’re taking a look at a meatier CPU/GPU combo. RAM will keep at 16GB, which actually is the bottom any worthy gaming machine ought to have at present (however like, possibly take into account 32GB? You deserve it…), and Treatment nonetheless expects you to utilize DLSS right here.
‘Um, I reside in 4K and received’t play something decrease. However I nonetheless don’t care about ray tracing’
I get it. I too have a 4K monitor and my 3070 Ti isn’t friggin’ pleased about how I exploit it more often than not. It positively received’t be pleased with Alan Wake II as a result of an RTX 4070 is required for Excessive graphics settings at 4K. That stated, CPU recs keep the identical as earlier settings:
Alan Wake II Extremely 4k settings
- Graphics: Medium
- Decision: 4K
- FPS: 60
- GPU: RTX 4070/Radeon 7800 XT (12GB VRAM)
- DLSS/FSR2: Balanced
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel equal
However okay, what if you’d like some fairly ray-tracing? Let’s get into it.
‘I simply need a bit little bit of ray-tracing, as a deal with’
Right here’s some barely excellent news, at medium graphics and low ray tracing settings, all you’ll want is an RTX 3070 or RX 6800 XT GPU. Unhealthy information? You’re caught at 1080p/30FPS.
Alan Wake II Low Ray Tracing settings
- Graphics: Medium
- Ray Tracing: Low
- Decision: 1080p
- FPS: 30
- GPU: RTX 3070/Radeon 6800 XT (8GB VRAM)
- DLSS/FSR2: High quality
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel equal
All issues thought of, this isn’t too dangerous. I personally desire to no less than have ray traced reflections on if I can, as I discover it provides a specific amount of plausible depth and notion of the physics of sunshine. Nonetheless, we’ll must see simply how low the ray traced settings will should be at this stage and what wiggle-room there may be on a machine with related specs.
Lastly, if in case you have a big disposable revenue and might simply throw cash into your rig, let’s break down the upper finish of the ray tracing choices.
‘OMG give me all of the rays, traced, thanks’
Medium and excessive ray traced settings for Alan Wake II are firmly within the 4000 collection of Nvidia’s RTX playing cards. What about Radeon? Properly, it ain’t listed right here, people.
Alan Wake II Medium Ray Tracing Settings
- Graphics: Medium
- Ray Tracing: Medium (Path tracing on)
- Decision: 1080p
- FPS: 60
- GPU: RTX 4070 (12GB VRAM)
- DLSS/FSR2: High quality
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel equal
What occurs for those who strive to do that on an AMD card? I feel Sam Lake most likely exhibits as much as take you to the Darkish Place. Or possibly you’ll simply have dangerous efficiency. Most likely the latter.
Most likely.
If you need even larger settings, you’re taking a look at an RTX 4080,
Alan Wake II Excessive Ray Tracing Settings
- Graphics: Excessive
- Ray Tracing: Excessive (Path tracing on)
- Decision: 4K
- FPS: 60
- GPU: RTX 4080 (16GB VRAM)
- DLSS/FSR2: Efficiency
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel equal
Regardless of the way you configure the settings, Alan Wake II goes to require a strongly spec’d PC. I anticipate there’ll be some room between these totally different configurations to boost or decrease particular person settings to tailor the expertise, however total, Alan Wake II is both your siren’s music to improve, or an indication of what’s to return.
